Device for introducing filled flat bags into cartons

ABSTRACT

A device for introducing items, in particular filled flat bags, into cartons has a bag delivering device, a plurality of feed shunts for transferring one flat bag at a time onto a respective vacuum turntable as well as suction devices each for at least one flat bag. The empty cartons are furnished by means of a delivery belt and a horizontally movable carton positioning belt. According to the invention, it is proposed that a plurality of flat bags be introduced into the cartons simultaneously, with the flat bags each being assigned to certain cartons.

This application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/DE97/00446 filed Mar. 7,1997.

The invention is based on a device for introducing items, in particularfilled flat bags, into cartons, of the kind disclosed for instance byFrench Patent 1 537 812. In the known device, the flat bags pass from avertically arranged discharge gate device onto a horizontallydisplaceable, raisable and lowerable conveyor plate that positions theflat bags below a suction head. Once the flat bags have been receivedfrom the conveyor plate by means of the suction head, the conveyor plateis retracted, so that the suction head can deposit the flat bags in oneof a plurality of cartons arranged on a conveyor belt below the suctionhead. If a flat bag is to be deposited into a particular carton by meansof the known device, it is necessary for the applicable carton to bemoved below the suction head by adjustment of the conveyor belt. When aplurality of cartons are located on the conveyor belt, this requires aconveyor belt of complicated design. Moreover, during the adjusting ofthe conveyor belt, it is as a rule impossible to place any other flatbag into a carton at the same time. The object of the invention is toimprove a device for introducing items, in particular filled flat bags,into cartons, in such a way that it prevents the disadvantages in termsof flexibility and capacity known from the prior art for complexapplications, and at the same time enables a compact design. Furtheradvantages and advantageous refinements of the device according to theinvention for introducing items, in particular filled flat bags, intocartons will become apparent from the the description set forthhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing andwill be described in further detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a device for introducing items, in particular filled flatbags, in a simplified perspective view; and

FIG. 2 shows part of the device of FIG. 1 in a simplified longitudinalsection.

The device 10 for introducing items, in particular filled flat bags 1,into cartons 2 has a bag delivery device 11, embodied as a beltconveyor, on which the flat bags 1 are arranged in a line, spaced apartfrom one another, and delivered to the device 10 in the direction X. Inthe region of the device 10, the bag delivery device 11 has threesuccessive feed shunts 12, 13, 14. The feed shunts 12, 13, 14, and thebag delivery device 11 together form a common conveying plane. Each ofthe feed shunts 12, 13, 14 is likewise preferably embodied as a beltconveyor. In addition, each of the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 is pivotablebetween two end positions, on the side remote from the bag deliverydevice 11, each being pivoted in a respective horizontally disposedpivot shaft 16, 17, 18. In the first, lowered end position, the feedshunts 12, 13, 14 form one common horizontal conveying plane forincoming flat bags 1. In the other end position, the side of the feedshunts 12, 13, 14 facing toward the bag delivery device 11 is raised byat least a height equivalent to the height of one flat bag 1.

In coincidence with and below the feed shunts 12, 13, 14, each feedshunt 12, 13, 14 is assigned a slide plate 20 and a vacuum turntable 21,22, 23. For the sake of simplicity, the slide plate 20 is shown in FIG.1 only below the feed shunt 13, but the other two feed shunts 12, 13also have identically embodied slide plates 20. The slide plates 20serve to transfer the flat bags 1 from the plane of the belt deliverydevice 11 or of the feed shunts 12, 13 to the vacuum turntables 21, 22,23. The vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 adjoin the slide plate 20 asgaplessly as possible, and extend parallel to and below the beltdelivery device 11. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the slide plate 20 is shownembodied in an S shape. However, it may also be embodied as a flatplate, for example. The vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are likewise notrestricted to a rectangular shape. What is essential is merely that atransition that as much as possible is without offsets and gaps beattained from the respective slide plate 20 to the respective vacuumturntable 21, 22, 23 for a flat bag 1. In addition, the slide plates 20and the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are disposed and embodied in such away that a flat bag 1, solely by its kinetic energy and without anyadditional drive, reaches its corresponding vacuum turntable 21, 22, 23by sliding onto it from the plane of the belt delivery device 11 or ofthe feed shunts 12, 13 and 14.

The vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are rotatably supported in shafts 27,28, 29 at right angles to the feeding plane of the flat bags 1, and theyare movable in the horizontal direction, crosswise to the feedingdirection X of the flat bags 1, in the direction Y between two endpositions. In the first end position, for taking over the flat bags 1,the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are located beneath the feed shunts 12,13, 14. In the second end position, for transferring the flat bags 1 tothe cartons 2, the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are located laterallynext to the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 and above the cartons 2.

For delivering the empty cartons 2, a carton delivery belt 30 isprovided, for example below and in coincidence with the bag deliverydevice 11. The carton delivery belt 30 is adjoined, below the feedshunts 12, 13, 14, by two carton positioning belts 32, 33 disposedparallel to one another and movable crosswise to the feeding direction Xof the flat bags 1. Both the carton delivery belt 30 and the cartonpositioning belts 32, 33 are preferably embodied as belt conveyors, eachwith separate drives. The spacing of the carton delivery belt 30 and thecarton positioning belts 32, 33 from the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 isat least equivalent to the height of the cartons 2, when the closuretabs of the cartons 2 are open. The length of the carton positioningbelts 32, 33 is such that there is space enough on them for a number ofcartons 2 that is at least equivalent to the number of vacuum turntables21, 22, 23, in this exemplary embodiment three cartons. In addition, aswill be explained hereinafter, depending on the size of the flat bags 1a certain displacement path of the cartons 2 must be provided on thecarton positioning belts 32, 33.

For removing full cartons 2, a carton discharge belt 33 is disposed inthe extension of the carton delivery belt 30. On both sides of the feedshunts 12, 13, 14, the device 10 has two identically embodied bagtakeover and dispensing devices 36, 37, each with three verticallymovable suction devices 38, 39. Each of the suction devices 38, 39associated with a discharge device 36, 37 has the same lateral spacingfrom the feed shunts 12, 13, 14. In addition, in the lateral position ofthe vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23, the suction devices 38, 39 are alignedwith the centers of area of the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, three sensors 41, 42, 43, which are connected to thecontrol unit of the device 10, are disposed above the slide plate 20,along the sliding path of the flat bag 1, but below the feed shunt 13.The sensors 41, 42, 43 are preferably embodied as photoelectric gates orphotocells, so that when the flat bag 1 moves past the sensor 41, 42,43, a corresponding signal is generated and supplied to the controlunit. A blower head 45 is also disposed between the feed shunt 13 andthe vacuum turntable 22; its blow openings 46, oriented toward thevacuum turntable 22, are connected to an overpressure source, not shown.Aligned with the blow openings 46 are suction openings 47, which areembodied in the vacuum turntable 22 and communicate with a negativepressure source, again not shown. The surface area covered by the blowopenings 46 and suction openings 47 is adapted to the size of the flatbags 1. In particular, a flat bag 1 has a larger projected area than isthe case for the suction openings 47, thus avoiding losses by air leaksat the suction openings 47, since a flat bag 1 resting on the vacuumturntable 22 completely covers the suction openings 47. It is understoodthat corresponding sensors 41, 42, 43, blower heads 42, and vacuumturntables 21, 23 are disposed below the two feed shunts 12, 14 as well.

The device 10 described above functions as follows: By means of thecarton delivery belt 30, three empty cartons 2 are fed to one of the twocarton positioning belts 32, 33 arranged for the purpose in alignmentwith the carton delivery belt 30. Next, the carton positioning belt 32,33 that has been supplied with the empty cartons 2 moves laterally intothe required position below the suction devices 38, 39 for depositingthe first flat bags 1, in accordance with an intended placement patternfor the flat bags 1, in the carton 2. Even while the carton positioningbelt 32, 33 is moving into this first position, flat bags 1 enteringfrom the bag delivery device 11 are distributed onto the vacuumturntables 21, 22, 23. To achieve the highest possible capacity of thedevice 10, the first entering flat bag 1 is allocated to the vacuumturntable 23, the second flat bag 1 to the vacuum turntable 22, and thethird entering flat bag 1 to the vacuum turntable 21. The transfer ofthe entering flat bags 1 to the corresponding vacuum turntables 21, 22,23 from the bag delivery device 11 is effected by correspondinglyraising the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 associated with the vacuum turntable21, 22, 23, while the other feed shunts 12, 13, 14 remain in theirlowered end position.

To assure that the flat bags 1 will always reach the proper vacuumturntable 21, 22, 23 and will not already come to a standstill in theregion of the slide plates 20, the feeding speed of the flat bags 1 onthe bag delivery device 11 or the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 is high enoughthat the flat bags 1, after sliding onto the slide plates 20, willalways reach the vacuum turntable 21, 22, 23 with a certain excessspeed. In order to dissipate this excess speed and cause the flat bags 1to come to a stop at a defined location on the vacuum turntable 21, 22,23, the speed of the flat bag 1 at the time is calculated by the controlunit, from the signals delivered to the control unit from the sensors41, 42, 43. In accordance with the result of this calculation, the blowopenings 46 or suction openings 47 are subjected to compressed air orsuction, respectively, so that the flat bag 1 comes to a stop at thedesired point on the vacuum turntable 21, 22, 23. By the use of theblower head 45 and its blow openings 46, it is accomplished that theflat bag 1 is pressed down onto the suction openings 47, so that unevenboundary walls of the flat bags 1 will not so easily lead to air leakagelosses at the suction openings 47.

As soon as a given flat bag 1 is positioned by negative pressure on thevacuum turntable 21, 22, 23, the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 are movedinto a position directly below the corresponding suction devices 38, 39.During this motion, the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 can be rotated intheir vertically arranged shafts 26, 27, 28, in accordance with thepattern in which the flat bags 1 are to be placed in the carton 2. Oncethe flat bags 1 are in position below the suction devices 38, 39, thesuction devices 38, 39 are put into contact with the tops of the flatbags 1; a suitable pressure for holding the flat bags 1 is turned on andthen, if needed, there is a motion upward again by some distance, sothat the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 can be moved back into theirposition by the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 in order to receive the next flatbags 1. Once the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 have been moved back againto below their associated feed shunts 12, 13, 14, the suction devices38, 39, in order to deposit the flat bags 1 in the carton 2, are moveddownward, and the negative pressure of the suction devices 38, 39 isturned off again.

In order to receive the next flat bags 1, the suction devices 38, 39 aremoved back into their original, raised position. To enable thesubsequent flat bags 1 to be deposited in the cartons 2 in accordancewith the intended placement pattern, the respective carton positioningbelt 32, 33 is moved into the proper position below the suction devices38, 39. This is attained on the one hand by a corresponding motion inthe direction Y, and on the other by means of the separate drive of thecarton positioning belt 32, 33 in the direction X. In order to attainexact positions, both the drive for the rotary motion of the cartonpositioning belts 32, 33 and the separate drive of the cartonpositioning belts 32, 33 are preferably embodied with servomotorsystems. In the manner described above, three flat bags 1 at a time areplaced each in one carton 2, simultaneously. Depending on the size ofthe flat bags 1 and cartons 2, it is possible for each layer to includea plurality of flat bags 1.

While three cartons 2, located on the one carton positioning belt 32,33, are being filled with flat bags 1, at the same time the other cartonpositioning belt 32, 33 is supplied with empty cartons 2 and is thenmoved into its associated position below the suction devices 38, 39. Assoon as the cartons 2 on the one carton positioning belt 32, 33 arecompletely filled with flat bags 1, the vacuum turntables 21, 22, 23carrying the next flat bags 1 to the cartons 2 that have been put inplace in the meantime are moved to the other of the two cartonpositioning belts 32, 33. In this way, full flat bags one can bedelivered to the device 10 continuously from the bag delivery device 11.

Once the cartons 2 on one carton positioning belt 32, 33 have beencompletely filled with flat bags 1, the carton positioning belt 32, 33is moved back below the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 again and positioned inalignment with the bag delivery device 11 or the carton removal belt 35.Next, the full cartons 2 are fed from the carton positioning belt 32, 33onto the carton removal belt 35, which can deliver the cartons 2 to adownstream carton closing device, not shown.

In addition it will be noted that for detecting defective flat bags 1, amonitoring device may be disposed in the region of the bag deliverydevice; by way of example, it checks the position and height of thearriving flat bags 1. Any flat bags 1 found to be defective can eitherbe rejected, or their position can be corrected. The rejection ofdefective flat bags 1 can for instance be done such that a bag removerdevice is disposed in the extension of the feed shunt 14, and thedefective flat bags 1 are fed onto this bag delivery belt via all thefeed shunts 12, 13, 14.

To increase the capacity of the device 10, it is conceivable to increasethe number of feed shunts, vacuum turntables, carton positioning belts,and suction devices. Thus more flat bags can be placed in the cartonsper operating cycle of the device 10. This is also possible if, in amodification of the abovedescribed exemplary embodiment, it is notmerely one a single flat bag 1 at a time but rather a plurality of flatbags 1 fed in immediate succession, that can be positioned on one of thevacuum turntables 21, 22, 23. In that case, it is understood that thevacuum turntables 21, 22, 23 and the discharge devices 36, 37 must beadapted (by means of a corresponding number of suction devices 38, 39).

The device may be modified in various ways. For instance, it isconceivable for the carton delivery belt 30 and/or the carton removalbelt 35 not to be disposed in coincidence or alignment with the bagdelivery device 11 and the feed shunts 12, 13, 14 but rather laterallyoffset from them. Depending on the application, the carton changing timecan thus be shortened and hence the capacity of the device increased. Itis also possible, instead of the bag delivery device embodied as a beltconveyor and the feed shunts, to use a drive belt that cooperates with aplurality of pivotal forks. To pick up a flat bag, the forks dip betweenthe individual belts of the drive belt. As soon as a flat bag enters theregion above the fork, the fork swings upward. In this position, theforks can be moved laterally to beneath the suction devices, in a matteranalogous to the vacuum turntables. However, it is also conceivable toleave the forks stationary and to use horizontally displacable sectiondevices that take over the flat bags from the forks. A rotation devicemay for instance also be integrated in the suction devices, to enableplacing the flat bags taken over from the forks in the correct positionsin the cartons.

In a further modification of the device, instead of the feed shunts orthe forks, so-called linear distributors, known per se, are used. Whatis essential for the invention is only that each arriving flat bag bedistributed to a separate station or vacuum turntable. As soon as oneflat bag has been feed to each of the stations, the flat bags are alltaken over simultaneously by a plurality of suction devices, and all theflat bags are simultaneously placed each in a separate carton.

It is naturally also possible to use the described device 10 not merelyfor introducing filled flat bags 1 into cartons 2. On the contrary, themost various items can be introduced into cartons 2 by means of thedevice 10, examples being boxes, blister packs, or other dimensionallystable products.

The foregoing relates to a preferred exemplary embodiment of theinvention, it being understood that other variants and embodimentsthereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, thelatter being defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device (10) for introducing items into cartons(2), compromising a first conveyor device (11) that feeds the items in aline to intermediate storage elements (21, 22, 23) positioned below saidfirst conveyor device (11), at least one intermediate storage element(21, 22, 23) for receiving at least one item, said at least one storageelement is movable to a position beneath a vertically movable suctiondevice (38, 39), the suction device (38, 39) being disposed in alignmentwith the carton (2) to be filled, at least one shunt element (12, 13,14) that cooperates with the first conveyor device is movable betweentwo positions; in a first position of the shunt element (12, 13, 14), atleast one item at a time is delivered by the first conveyor device (11)to a first intermediate storage element (12, 13, 14), in said secondposition the shunt element carries at least one item at a time insequence to a second intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23), and athird suction device (38, 39) is disposed in alignment with a thirdcarton (2) to be filled, and the intermediate storage element (21, 22,23) is rotatable about a shaft (27, 28, 29) that is disposed verticallyto a feeding direction (X) of the items.
 2. The device of claim 1, inwhich the cartons (2) are disposed on at least a second conveyor device(32, 33), which is disposed movably crosswise to a feeding direction (X)of the items.
 3. The device of claim 1, in which the cartons (2) aredisposed on at least a second conveyor device (32, 33), which isdisposed movably crosswise to the feeding direction (X) of the items. 4.The device of claim 1, in which a delivery conveyor belt (30) for emptycartons (2) is disposed below the first conveyor device (11) for theitems.
 5. The device of claim 1, in which a delivery conveyor belt (30)for empty cartons (2) is disposed below the first conveyor device (11)for the items.
 6. The device of claim 1, in which suction openings (47)communicating with a source of negative pressure are embodied in eachintermediate storage element (21, 22, 23), and/or blow openings (46)communicating with a source of overpressure are embodied above eachintermediate storage element (21, 22, 23), in order to stop and hold theitems.
 7. The device of claim 6, in which the suction openings (47)and/or the blow openings (46) cooperate with at least one sensor (41,42, 43) disposed in a region of the associated transfer element (20);and that the suction openings (47) and/or the blow openings (46) can betriggered by a control unit in accordance with a signal of at least onesensor (41).
 8. A device (10) for introducing items into cartons (2),comprising a first conveyor device (11) that feeds the items in a lineto intermediate storage elements (21, 22, 23) positioned below saidfirst conveyor device (11), at least one intermediate storage element(21, 22, 23) for receiving at least one item, said at least one storageelement is movable to a position beneath a vertically movable suctiondevice (38, 39), the suction device (38, 39) being disposed in alignmentwith the carton (2) to be filled, at least one shunt element (12, 13,14) that cooperates with the first conveyor device is movable betweentwo positions; in a first position of the shunt element (12, 13, 14), atleast one item at a time is delivered by the first conveyor device (11)to a first intermediate storage element (12, 13, 14), in said secondposition the shunt element carries at least one item at a time insequence to a second intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23), and athird suction device (38, 39) is disposed in alignment with a thirdcarton (2) to be filled and the shunt element (12, 13, 14) is supportedpivotably about a horizontal shaft (16, 17, 18) and is disposed abovethe first intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23) in the extension ofthe first conveyor device (11) and disposed between the first conveyordevice (11) and the intermediate storage element (21) and the followingintermediate storage element (21) or the shunt element (12, 13, 14) andthe intermediate storage element (22, 23) is a transfer element (20),which when the shunt element (12, 13, 14) is pivoted into the firstposition, at least one item at a time is transferred from the firstconveyor device (11) or a shunt element (12, 13, 14) onto thecorresponding intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23).
 9. The deviceof claim 8, in which the intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23) isrotatable about a shaft (27, 28, 29) that is disposed vertically to thefeeding direction (X) of the items.
 10. The device of claim 8, in whichthe cartons (2) are disposed on at least a second conveyor device (32,33), which is disposed movably crosswise to the feeding direction (X) ofthe items.
 11. The device of claim 8, in which a delivery conveyor belt(30) for empty cartons (2) is disposed below the first conveyor device(11) for the items.
 12. A device (10) for introducing items into cartons(2), compromising a first conveyor device (11) that feeds the items in aline to intermediate storage elements (21, 22, 23) positioned below saidfirst conveyor device (11), and at least on intermediate storage element(21, 22, 23) for receiving at least one item, said at least one storageelement is movable to a position beneath a vertically movable suctiondevice (38, 39), the suction device (38, 39) being disposed in alignmentwith the carton (2) to be filled, at least one shunt element (12, 13,14) that cooperates with the first conveyor device is movable betweentwo positions; in a first position of the shunt element (12, 13, 14) atleast one item at a time is delivered by the first conveyor device (11)to a first intermediate storage element (12, 13, 14), in said secondposition the shunt element carries at least one item at a time insequence to a second intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23), and athird suction device (38, 39) is disposed in alignment with a thirdcarton to be filled, the shunt element (12, 13, 14) is supportedpivotably about a horizontal shaft (16, 17, 18) and is disposed abovethe first intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23) in the extension ofthe first conveyor device (11), and the intermediate storage element(21, 22, 23) is rotatable about a shaft (27, 28, 29) that is disposedvertically to the feeding direction (X) of the items.
 13. A device (10)for introducing items into cartons (2), comprising a first conveyordevice (11) that feeds the items in a line to intermediate storageelements (21, 22, 23) positioned below said first conveyor device (11),at least one intermediate storage element for receiving at least oneitem, said at least one storage element is movable to a position beneatha vertically movable suction device (38, 39), the suction device (38,39) being disposed in alignment with the carton (2) to be filled, atleast one shunt element (12, 13, 14) that cooperates with the firstconveyor device is movable between two positions; in a first position ofthe shunt element (12, 13, 14) at least one item at a time is deliveredby the first conveyor device (11) to a first intermediate storageelement (12, 13, 14), in said second position the shunt element carriesat least one item at a time in sequence to a second intermediate storageelement (21, 22, 23) and a third suction device (38, 39) is disposed inalignment with a third carton to be filled, the cartons (2) are disposedon at least a second conveyor device (32, 33), which is disposed movablycrosswise to the feeding direction (X) of the cartons, and each of thesecond conveyor devices (32, 33) for the empty cartons (2) cooperateseach with a separate transfer device (36, 37).
 14. The device of claim13, in which the second conveyor device (32, 33) has a separate drivemechanism in order to vary the deposited position of the items in thecarton (2) and to deliver cartons (2) onto the second conveyor device(32, 33) and remove them from the second conveyor device.
 15. A device(10) for introducing items into cartons (2), comprising a first conveyordevice (11) that feeds the items in a line to intermediate storageelements (21, 22, 23) positioned below said first conveyor device (11),at least one intermediate storage element (21, 22, 23) for receiving atleast one item, said at least one storage element is movable to aposition beneath a vertically movable suction device (38, 39), thesuction device (38, 39) being disposed in alignment with the carton (2)to be filled, at least one shunt element (12, 13, 14) that cooperateswith the first conveyor device is movable between two positions; in afirst position of the shunt element (12, 13, 14), at least one item at atime is delivered by the first conveyor device (11) to a firstintermediate storage element (12, 13, 14), in said second position theshunt element carries at least one item at a time in sequence to asecond intermediate storage element (21,22, 23), and a third suctiondevice (38, 39) is disposed in alignment with a third carton (2) to befilled, a delivery conveyor belt (30) for empty cartons (2) is disposedbelow the first conveyor device (11), and each of the second conveyordevices (32, 33) for the empty cartons (2) cooperates each with aseparate transfer device (36, 37) for the flat bags (1).